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Everything you wanted to know about laser hair removal and a little more

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Laser hair removal is an awesome technology to rid us of unwanted hair! The laser (which is essentially a very strong, powerful light) heats up the pigment in the hair which then travels through and damages the follicle from which that hair is growing so that it can no longer grow a hair. Pretty cool, huh?! Having pigment in the treated hair is essential to laser hair removal which is why it won’t work on blonde, red, grey or white hairs-just not enough pigment! The laser, during the treatment will only permanently affect the hairs that are in the Anagen growth phase (also known as the active growth phase) which is typically about 30% of your hairs at any given time. This is the reason it will take more than one treatment to get rid of all the hair in an area. But what about the other hairs that aren’t treated permanently at that session? Those hairs will fall out! After the treatment, because ALL of the hair has been “stunted” by the laser they will all fall out (usually over the course of 2-3 weeks after treatment). This period of time usually last 3-10 weeks depending upon the area that was treated and is your “time off” from having to shave!

In timing your treatments it is ESSENTIAL to make sure all of your hair has returned before your next treatment. You must have the hair back in the follicles because they need to be heated by the laser to once again damage the follicle. BE WARY of any place that has you come back for a treatment sooner than 6 weeks! Typically facial hair can be treated about 6 weeks apart but underarms and bikini can require 8 weeks and areas like the legs and men’s backs can take anywhere from 10-12 weeks for full regrowth to ensure you are ready for your next treatment.

Questions? I’m always happy to answer them! And if your interested in setting up a free consult at my office feel free to send me an email: Michelle@LoudounLaserCenter.com

This is probably the most important question I get asked. And there are many variables that can determine if laser is actually going to work for you. The most important of these is hair color. The laser only effectively works on DARK hair so blond, gray and white hair will not respond to the laser! Another big one is timing of your treatments. I often hear from people that say their laser hair removal treatments didn’t work for them and my first question is always how close were their treatments. Most people tell me they were being treated about every 4-5 weeks at their other laser center. Well, that is TOO soon! And, you definitely won’t get good results. Laser hair removal is all about timing. The hair goes through different cycles and it is important to make sure your treatments are timed appropriately. If you receive a treatment too soon you are essentially treating nothing because the hair isn’t back in the follicle and therefore the treatment won’t work for the long term. Everyone is a little different but most people find that they need 8-9 weeks in between their bikini and underarm treatments and almost 12 weeks between their leg treatments! Following these steps will give you optimal results when it comes to laser hair removal. When all the guidelines are followed laser hair removal is VERY effective! All of this and more is explained during your initial consult. To schedule your complimentary consultation with free underarm treatment please call our office at 703-779-7783. www.LoudounLaserCenter.com

Welcome to my new blog about laser hair removal. I talk to people everyday that are so curious about laser hair removal but that have so many questions and aren’t ready to take the leap of faith into laser hair removal. This blog will answer those questions and ones you didn’t even know to ask! Feel free to leave comments below if there is something you want to talk about!

Laser hair removal is a great way to avoid the daunting task of shaving. An average woman spends about FOUR hours a year just shaving! For people with unsightly hair that could spend years plucking or waxing, laser hair removal can permanently remove that hair so it’s no longer a burden. Many people love laser hair removal because of their sensitive skin and the razor burn or rash they get shortly after shaving. Laser hair removal helps eliminate that and can even deal with the stubborn ingrown hairs many women experience in their bikini area. Many women also find that as they age or after they have kids (and the crazy raging hormones) they will notice dark hairs on their chin or upper lip popping up. For them, laser hair removal alleviates that anxiety you get when sitting in a meeting or going on a date and wondering if any of those hairs are visible to the person sitting across from you. So whether you’d choose to do laser just for the convenience (imagine NOT having to shave in a hurried morning in the shower!) or out of necessity you will be really happy you did.